16.8.2018: applied electronically
31.8.2018: document check @ maahanmuuttovirasto
02.04.2019: moved to Stage 2. Had been uploading palkkakuitit monthly, and info about travels outside of Finland whenever those occurred. Was also asked for my passport, which I had shown in person at the maahanmuuttovirasto (hereinafter: MMV) 31.8.2018, and which I dutifully sent in by registered mail.
14.04.2019: no news one way or the other.

Questions/comments:

1) How common an occurrence is it to be asked to send in one's passport as a part of the citizenship application process?
2) When this occurs: how long does it typically take them to send it back to the applicant?
3) I've seen lots of discussion here about citizens of some countries having their applications processed faster than those of other countries. Whether or not this is actually occurring...well, the evidence discussed here to back up claims to that effect doesn't seem too substantial to me. All I know for certain is that even on this thread, I've seen people who applied for Finnish citizenship much later than I, apparently have their decisions already. This would suggest to me that MMV employees have a lot of leeway in terms of how, and how fast, they process citizenship applications.

Why not have uniform policies and procedures for citizenship application processing? If the applicant fulfills the prerequisites for citizenship (which I do), whether or not they're given it, what documents they need to show, and when and how often in the application process they need to show them, shouldn't depend on the whim of individual MMV employees.

Obviously, I'm a bit hacked off at having to relinquish my passport until a decision has been made. I've had travel plans that predate my application, I've mentioned these travel plans in documents supplied to the MMV, and now I have no way of knowing if I can honor those travel plans, as I now have no identifying document that would permit international travel, and don't know when my passport will be returned to me. Had I known in advance what would be required of me, I most likely wouldn't have given the process too much thought - but as things are, it seems like the MMV's procedures, and their decisions, are very ad hoc.

Re: Citizenship Application 2019

On the page of Migri with the count of the term there is such a phrase"Did you touch base in Finland without getting a living arrangement grant ahead of time?", I'm not catching it's meaning? I don't get it.

On the page of Migri with the count of the term there is such a phrase"Did you touch base in Finland without getting a living arrangement grant ahead of time?", I'm not catching it's meaning? I don't get it.

It means: Did you arrive in Finland without having a resident permit beforehand?

* Applied on December 4th 2018
* Received positive decision on April 16th 2019
* From Iran originally, so this did not seem to reduce the speed of processing
* From stage 1 all the way to positive decision took less than 2 hours. No questions asked, no nothing.
* I know because I randomly checked Enterfinland 2 hours before the decision and it was still waiting to be processed
* If I may give advice, for goodness sake people, don't send things to migri they haven't asked for like payslip/travel/etc
* For people reading this thread, don't get worried if some people's application take time. More often that not, there's a reason for it
* For me and a lot of my friends from all over the world, it has worked smoothly but these people don't come comment here
* So, having been stressed out myself over this, I really suggest not taking extreme examples of this thread as the average Joe

I wish everyone calmness even though I know from heart how difficult it is. One day you receive a message on your phone and it'll be all over in an instant ❤

16.8.2018: applied electronically
31.8.2018: document check @ maahanmuuttovirasto
02.04.2019: moved to Stage 2. Had been uploading palkkakuitit monthly, and info about travels outside of Finland whenever those occurred. Was also asked for my passport, which I had shown in person at the maahanmuuttovirasto (hereinafter: MMV) 31.8.2018, and which I dutifully sent in by registered mail.
14.04.2019: no news one way or the other.

Questions/comments:

1) How common an occurrence is it to be asked to send in one's passport as a part of the citizenship application process?
2) When this occurs: how long does it typically take them to send it back to the applicant?
3) I've seen lots of discussion here about citizens of some countries having their applications processed faster than those of other countries. Whether or not this is actually occurring...well, the evidence discussed here to back up claims to that effect doesn't seem too substantial to me. All I know for certain is that even on this thread, I've seen people who applied for Finnish citizenship much later than I, apparently have their decisions already. This would suggest to me that MMV employees have a lot of leeway in terms of how, and how fast, they process citizenship applications.

Hello,

They had asked for my passport which I had sent them via registered mail. They sent it back to me on the same day they received it. It took about 8-10 days in total including me sending my passport and receiving it back via registered mail.

As far as some ppl from certain countries getting the decisions faster, I already brought that up on this forum earlier and was being negated by some. Nonetheless, as you pointed out, you can see yourself how people who applied in December are getting citizenships while many who applied last year in July-Aug are still waiting for processing. Anyway, good luck for your application. The passport thing shouldn’t take too long. Cheers !

Hello, I have got the same query for the passport, one question is did you send a return envelope with stamps with your passport ? Or they send it back at their expense ?

Thank you in advance

They sent it back on their own. I just put my passport in the mail box at their office ! Was very simple and easy even though I was also skeptical about the passport thing in the beginning. Not a big deal though

16.8.2018: applied electronically
31.8.2018: document check @ maahanmuuttovirasto
02.04.2019: moved to Stage 2. Had been uploading palkkakuitit monthly, and info about travels outside of Finland whenever those occurred. Was also asked for my passport, which I had shown in person at the maahanmuuttovirasto (hereinafter: MMV) 31.8.2018, and which I dutifully sent in by registered mail.
14.04.2019: no news one way or the other.

Questions/comments:

1) How common an occurrence is it to be asked to send in one's passport as a part of the citizenship application process?
2) When this occurs: how long does it typically take them to send it back to the applicant?
3) I've seen lots of discussion here about citizens of some countries having their applications processed faster than those of other countries. Whether or not this is actually occurring...well, the evidence discussed here to back up claims to that effect doesn't seem too substantial to me. All I know for certain is that even on this thread, I've seen people who applied for Finnish citizenship much later than I, apparently have their decisions already. This would suggest to me that MMV employees have a lot of leeway in terms of how, and how fast, they process citizenship applications.

Why not have uniform policies and procedures for citizenship application processing? If the applicant fulfills the prerequisites for citizenship (which I do), whether or not they're given it, what documents they need to show, and when and how often in the application process they need to show them, shouldn't depend on the whim of individual MMV employees.

Obviously, I'm a bit hacked off at having to relinquish my passport until a decision has been made. I've had travel plans that predate my application, I've mentioned these travel plans in documents supplied to the MMV, and now I have no way of knowing if I can honor those travel plans, as I now have no identifying document that would permit international travel, and don't know when my passport will be returned to me. Had I known in advance what would be required of me, I most likely wouldn't have given the process too much thought - but as things are, it seems like the MMV's procedures, and their decisions, are very ad hoc.

It's been three weeks since I sent in my passport. I have heard nothing from MMV since April 2.

Although I may fulfill the prerequisites for Finnish citizenship, I'm aware that I have no legal rights to it per se.

That being said: does the MMV have a legal right to retain my passport for an indeterminate period of time, solely on the ground of my applying for Finnish citizenship? They told me I would have it returned to me - they did not tell me when.

I'm an EU citizen (Italy). I thus have every right to freedom of movement within (at a minimum) the Schengen area. Without an identifying document, I can't exercise that right. I don't recall voluntary renunciation of the right to freedom of movement being on the record as part of the Finnish citizenship application process.

Yesterday, I went to the Italian embassy to apply for an ID card, in the interest of enabling long-planned travel within Schengen. As the embassy can only issue the old-style paper document, instead of the plastic one with the EU-norm security features, even they don't encourage Italian citizens to get one. Nonetheless, a paper Italian ID is better than nothing, so I'm hoping I can get it without too much delay.

However, now I'm at the mercy of my home comune - they are the ones who must authorize the embassy to issue the ID card.

I know I'm repeating myself, but: even more than a few weeks ago, it appears to me that the MMV is handling citizenship applications in an arbitrary and inconsistent manner. In addition to this, I question whether this procedure - that is, demanding applicants' passports, and keeping them for an indeterinate period - is even legal.

I know I'm repeating myself, but: even more than a few weeks ago, it appears to me that the MMV is handling citizenship applications in an arbitrary and inconsistent manner. In addition to this, I question whether this procedure - that is, demanding applicants' passports, and keeping them for an indeterinate period - is even legal.

Most likely it's not legal. I probably wouldn't ever "just send" a valid passport to anyone. But I think you should rather just call them and request them to return your passport without delay.

But we apply citizenship with our very own choice secondly you give your valid passport to embassies for visa, in some cases you even post your passport to embassies for visa, for countries who don't have local representation.

I think it is the countries very much "right" to verify and make sure by all means that they are not being mislead because for a country giving citizenship is same like you make someone part of your family

btw I am also in the same boat, they asked for the passport and now it is with them

Just received my positive decision , one thing for sure ..they took their sweet time with me almost 9 months including +5 months of processing time ..I guess patience is the key ... all the best for the the ones still waiting